The synergistic effect of organic molecules with copper anode material lowers the overall voltage for neutral CO ₂RR

The primary objective in researching the anode side of electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) is to substitute the frequently employed Ir anodic catalyst with more readily available and cost-effective non-noble metal oxide. When organic molecules are loaded on the Cu₂O surface, a synergistic effect can be formed between different components. This effect can accelerate electron transfer, provide new active sites, and further enhance the performance of OER. This study proposes a new type of anodic catalyst, PDI/Cu₂O/Cu, and investigates its OER activity and three other anodic catalysts (IrO₂/Ti mesh, Ni foam, and Pt mesh) in the CO₂RR system. The results show that PDI/Cu₂O/Cu exhibited OER activity with an overpotential of 422.1 mV to drive a current density of 70 mA cm^-2 in neutral electrolytes. Compared to IrO₂/Ti mesh, the overpotential of PDI/Cu₂O/Cu is decreased by 490 mV. This significantly lowers the energy consumption of the CO₂RR system without compromising the performance of CO₂RR. Furthermore, the use of precious metal materials is unnecessary, leading to a substantial reduction in the cost of the anodic catalyst. PDI/Cu₂O/Cu holds the potential to serve as a non-precious metal alternative to Ir in neutral electrolytes as an anodic catalyst.